Iraola decided to keep Mac Allister and Alisson at Liverpool this season Liverpool

Andoni Iraola said he is determined to keep Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson in his first season as Liverpool head coach and must strengthen the team that will be without Hugo Ekitiké and Conor Bradley for a few more months.

The dust had not yet settled when Argentina lost to Spain in the World Cup final when Mac Allister was linked with Real Madrid. Iraola, who is in Chicago for the start of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, admitted the midfielder is unlikely to be 100% fit for the Premier League opener at Newcastle due to the post-World Cup holiday. But he has allayed doubts over Mac Allister’s long-term future at Liverpool, where he has a contract until 2028, by insisting the 27-year-old is part of the plans for next season.

Iraola said: “I think Alexis has been one of the best players in the team over the last few years, and he had a great World Cup, so it’s normal for other clubs to look for our best players. It always happens in other markets. But I want to keep my good players. I’m looking forward to signing new players rather than losing the ones we have here.”

Alisson is another establishment figure whose Liverpool future has been in question, with the Brazil international strongly linked with Juventus at the end of last season. Iraola has not met Alisson or Mac Allister in person due to their World Cup commitments but has spoken to both, and confirmed the former will remain a Liverpool player next season.

“I am very happy with the situation we have at the moment in the goalkeeping position,” said Iraola. “We have Alisson, we have Giorgi [Mamardashvili]. Now we will send Armin [Pecsi] on loan but we have the guarantee of three custodians here. Freddie [Woodman] we played some games last season, I think it’s a confirmation for us.

“Alisson is someone in the dressing room with a lot of references, in terms of experience. He is someone who will really help us in the process of adapting to the new signings and the young players. We need references like Virgil [van Dijk]Alisson, Joe Gomez; players who have been around for a long time, and I am sure that we will have this help.”

Liverpool have brought a young squad for their US tour, which currently includes a training camp at the Chicago Fire ahead of the first leg against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch will join the tour next week when Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Alisson will begin their pre-season training sessions back on Merseyside.

Iraola admitted Liverpool are “very thin” in terms of defensive numbers and while fit Bradley will be considered first-choice at right-back, his recovery from a serious knee injury in January means the club could be forced into the market.

“Stefan [Bajcetic] and Wataru [Endo] they are close to training with the team,” he said [injured players]we will have to wait for more. You are about to come back after that [Giovanni] Leoni. Conor and Hugo are far away. We are talking about months.”